Water-gage for steam boilers



F. A. HOYT.- Water Gage for Steam Boilers.

Patented Oct. 18, 1859.

N. PETERS. Phcln-Ullzugmpher, Wilsl inghm. D4 6,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS A. HOYT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

WATER-GAGE FOR STEAM BOILERS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 25,828, dated October 18, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANoIs A. HOYT, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Safety Water- Gages for Steam Boilers, and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1, is a front elevation, and Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of the same.

The nature of my invention consists in a peculiar arrangement of a steam whistle, its valve, conduit, and valve seat relatively to the dry steam chamber and the operating lever of the float.

In the drawings, A, denotes the steam boiler, upon which the gage is situated or supported by a tubular column, B, communicating with the dry steam chamber a, of the gage case, C. In front of the dry steam chamber there is an'indicator chamber, 5, containing the graduated arc, w, and its indicator or pointer, c, the same being as shown in Fig. 1. This indicator is connected with a lever, d, by means of a common ful crum or shaft, 6, and in such manner that any movement of the lever so as to turn the shaft or fulcrum shall produce a corresponding movement of the indicator. The longer arm of the lever plays through a rocker ball, 7", carried by the float rod, 9, or a stirrup or attachment, it, applied to the said rod. At its lower end the rod carries the ball or float, 1', as shown in the drawings.

The steam whistle, shown at, D, is arranged under the dry steam chamber and opens directly out of the same by means of a vertical passage or conductor, 7c, at the upper end of which there is a conical valve seat Z, on which a corresponding valve, 912, rests. a, carrying a circular disk 0, and is forced downward by a helical spring; the whole being arranged as is shown in Fig. 2.

The shorter arm of the lever, cl, extends directly underneath the disk, 0, and is otherwise. arranged relatively thereto in such manner as to effect the elevation of the valve from its seat whenever the ball or float, '5, {nay1 descend in the boiler to its lowest safety eve From the above it will be perceived that the steam whistle, and its conduit are ar- This valve is affixed to a vertical rod ranged below the dry steam chamber or so as to lead the steam downward therefrom while in most if not all other kinds of alarm Water gages the whistle and its conductor are placed above the dry steam chamber in such manner as to cause the steam to ascend during its discharge therefrom. The disadvantages attendant upon the latter arrangement are its constant liability to become choked or clogged by extraneous matters becoming lodged within the conductor or upon the valve: Whereas, by my improved arrangement of the steam whistle, its valve, conduit and valve seat relatively to the dry steam chamber and the operating lever of the float; nothing to obstruct the valve can lodge on its seat, as gravitation will operate in connection with the steam to dislodge the clogging matter; and furthermore, the discharge of the steam is directly downward from the dry steam chamber and through one straight vertical passage, and not through any lateral passage or passages, which, when employed with a vertical passage are liable to become clogged.

By employing a single straight passage or conduit arranged so as to discharge steam downward into the whistle, a much smaller valve can be employed than when lateral passages are used in connection with the vertical passage, as such lateral pas sages diminish the pressure of the steam and as a matter of course require a larger discharging opening of the valve seat to enable a proper supply of steam to sound the whistle, to pass into it.

By my improvement the operating lever lifts the valve off its seat, and the power of gravitation is employed to assist in keeping the whistle conduit and whistle from becoming clogged.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s- The above described arrangement of the steam whistle, its valve, conduit, and valve seat relatively to the dry steam chamber and the operating lever of the float.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my signature.

FRANCIS A. HOYT. \Vitnesses:

R. H. EDDY, F. P. HALE, Jr. 

